Major League Baseball

Rangers get Pudge for two minor-leaguers

Published Aug. 19, 2009 5:03 a.m. ET

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Ivan Rodriguez is coming home to the Texas Rangers.

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The 14-time All-Star catcher who started his career with the Rangers at age 19 was acquired in a trade Tuesday with the Houston Astros for minor league pitcher Matt Nevarez and two players to be named later.

"He brings experience," Rangers president Nolan Ryan said. "He's a veteran, and he brings us a lot of things."

The 37-year-old Rodriguez signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Astros in March and went on to hit .251 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 93 games. But the Astros have faded in the NL playoff chase, while the Rangers went into Tuesday night's game against Minnesota with a one-game lead in the AL wild card.

Rodriguez is one of the most popular players in Rangers history, winning 10 of his 13 Gold Gloves with the team. He helped lead the franchise's only three playoff teams in 1996, 1998 and 1999, when he won the AL MVP award.

Rodriguez caught 1,426 games in Texas, second in club history to Jim Sundberg's 1,495. He hit .305 with 215 home runs and 829 RBIs with the Rangers.

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He left when the club refused to offer salary arbitration after the 2002 season. He signed with Florida and immediately won a World Series, then went to another World Series in five seasons with Detroit.

"It's huge for our fan base," said infielder Michael Young. "He might be the best player in the history of our organization and probably the most popular. This is just a great move on all fronts."

Rangers outfielder David Murphy said he will give up his No. 7, the number Rodriguez wore throughout his time with the Rangers and much of his career. Murphy said he'll switch to No. 14.

Known to fans by his childhood nickname "Pudge," Rodriguez got several standing ovations in Arlington in June when he set the major league record for games caught with 2,227. Rangers manager Ron Washington said Rodriguez would back up Taylor Teagarden, who became the starting catcher when Jarrod Saltalamacchia went on the disabled list last week.

"He was the Johnny Bench of his era," Washington said. "And I still think he has the ability to do some great things. He's not that old."

Nevarez, 22, has nine saves and a 2.83 ERA in 34 relief appearances for Class A Hickory. He's allowed just 22 hits with 50 strikeouts in 35 innings.

The Rangers also placed infielder Esteban German on the disabled list with a right groin strain, retroactive to Friday. The team recalled right-handed reliever Guillermo Moscoso from Triple-A Oklahoma to fill his spot on the active roster.

Moscoso was 5-3 with a 2.17 ERA in 10 games with Oklahoma. He has made five relief appearances for the Rangers, allowing four earned runs in 8 1/3 innings.